


SS Thorns & Mountains

by RavenclawPixieRose



Series: A Fleet of Dates [4]
Category: The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Cooking, Exploring, F/F, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-12-07 07:15:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11618634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenclawPixieRose/pseuds/RavenclawPixieRose
Summary: Not long after settling into her new family home, Aline's girlfriend, Helen Blackthorn, arrives for an extended visit. During their first afternoon together, they explore the house and a hungry Helen introduces Aline to one of her favourite snacks.





	SS Thorns & Mountains

The war had been terrible for everyone in it, it made you learn about yourself, and boy had Aline Penhallow done that. At the age of seventeen, she had never had a boyfriend, much less fallen for one. She had that fateful attempt at kissing Jace, but other than that there was nothing. And now she realised that was because she didn’t have an interest in boys… but it was only a lack of interest in boys. Girls she had always found attractive and had been drawn to. Especially Helen Blackthorn. 

The eldest Blackthorn child was known throughout the Shadowhunter community, as being one of the blackthorns that have faerie blood in them. Aline hadn’t really ever officially met the girl, but she had seen her from afar in the past, and always thought she was beautiful but had never considered what that meant exactly. 

It wasn’t until during the Council meetings to do with finding Jace that Aline fully noticed, and felt the need to get to know this girl that wanted to find Jace as much as she did. Once the Council meeting was over, after a deep, calming breath she approached the beautiful blonde. “Hi,” she smiled sheepishly. 

“Hello there,” Helen had a matching smile on her face. “Shame about the deprioritization right?” 

“Yeah, I get that the wards need to be stabilized, but can they not see that if they find Jace that they find Sebastian too?” 

“I know, right. It’s like they don’t care!” Helen’s voice was slowly rising in line with her anger. Aline found it endearing to know that she wasn’t the only one who was disgusted. That she wasn’t the only one who was angry at the outcome. She needed to get away from this place, before she hit something, or worse still someone.

“Want to get out of here?” She asked, yes she wanted to get away from here, but not alone. Company was a must, and Helen’s company would be great right now. 

Helen smiled, linked her arm through the petite brunettes, “gladly.” 

* * *

 

Aline had lost track of how long they had been aimlessly walking around the streets of Alicante, the place that had been her summer home for years. Aline loved the streets, especially in the twilight — that space between day and night when all the witchlight lamps flickered on. 

“So how is living in such a large family?” Aline asked, growing up as an only child, as nice as it was, sometimes felt difficult. 

“Hectic,” Helen replied, honestly. “Especially being the oldest.” Helen loved her siblings, but since their mom had died it was hard as she was pseudo-mom to her half siblings. Though they each loved her like she had the same mother as they did, just as she loved them just as much. “Don’t get me wrong, I love them to pieces, but sometimes I feel more like their mom than their big sister — well other than Mark, but he’s older.” As she was talking about her family a glazed look came over her, one that screamed of her love for her siblings. A love that could never be replaced until she had her own family, but then it would grow to encompass them all. “So what is it like growing up without siblings?” Helen asked, not so subtly getting the subject off of her. 

“Erm…” Aline was stuck. Her feelings on that subject had always been such a roller coaster, how could she explain them now without being seen as strange, or ungrateful. “It has its own ups and downs.” She smiled. “Sometimes, when I see others with their siblings happy and joking about I get a pang in my gut wishing I could have that.” A sad smile crossed her face “but then when I see them arguing, or disagreeing in some way I am glad I don’t have any. If you get what I mean?” 

Helen could see the sad look on the girls face, and hear the somewhat sad note to her voice. She wrapped her arms around her, wanting more than anything for that sadness to go away. “I totally get that, but I promise you all the fights and arguments are worth it when everything is calm and peaceful and nice.” Aline leaned into the hug and held the blonde close to her, they had stopped at this point. 

The hug felt, to both of the girls, like it went on for hours because it felt so nice whereas in fact, it was only a few minutes. When Helen pulled away, She was smiling. She kissed Aline on the top of the head, “Come on. We should be getting back.” 

“I guess,” Aline agreed with a sigh. “I love you,” she said before clapping her hand over her mouth. Where had that come from? She had meant to say, ‘I have enjoyed being with you’ how did it change from that to what came out of her mouth in a short space of time. Her heart was pounding as the silence lengthened. Aline couldn’t face looking up and seeing Helen’s face, though if she had she would have calmed.

“I love you too.” Helen said. Before she tilted Aline’s chip up before her lips pressed against Aline’s in a soft, but urgent kiss. As the kiss deepened, Helen took Aline’s face into her hands, While aline’s hands worked their way up Helen’s back before she snaked her fingers into Helen’s long, soft blonde hair. Aline parted Helen’s lips with her tongue, before speaking it into her mouth, the pressure of which Helen reciprocated. When they broke apart to come up for much-needed air, they were both panting hard. “You have no idea how long i have been wanting to do that.” Helen said through her slow breathing. 

They walked back, hand in hand. The start of something new. They knew many people would dislike it, but they were happy, that was what mattered. 

* * *

 

After the day of the Council meeting, Helen and Aline had parted as more than just friends. They parted as girlfriends. Over the course of the next few weeks the pair sent fire messages on a daily basis, and talked on the phone each night. 

After the war was over Aline and her family moved from their home in Beijing to Idris, thanks to her mother's appointment as the new Consul; It was hard to adjust for Aline, the last time that she had spent any time in Idris was the Council meeting, and she spent it with Helen. She had some wonderful memories and craved her girlfriend being there with her. After a lot of resistance, and persuasion on Aline’s part, Helen agreed to join her for a few weeks. She was worried about her siblings but relented and decided she needed to trust others to care for them as she wouldn’t always be there to do so. 

Helen was portalled to the Gard, it was the quickest way for her to get there, and they were overjoyed to be reunited once again, where it had all began. They embraced the moment they saw each other, as much as they wanted to do more they were reluctant. Things weren’t so bad now for gay Shadowhunters, but you still had your older ones, who were stuck in their ways and thought it was unnatural, and both the girls were raised to respect their elders, so they did no more than hug or hold hands in the presence of those who wouldn’t be keen on seeing two people of the same gender together. Especially when even Aline’s parents were still wrapping their heads around the fact their daughter was gay. Not everyone was as lucky as Helen, with parents who had not minded who she wanted to date — though Helen was bisexual, and had in the past dated guys. 

When they reached Aline’s room, by some miracle her parents had agreed to Aline and Helen sharing a room whilst Helen stayed, something that both of the girls were thankful for as they had anticipated having to be in separate rooms, Helen gave her girlfriend a deep kiss. “I’ve missed you,” she said as they sank down onto the bed, entwining themselves around one another. 

“I’ve missed you too,” Aline murmured against Helen’s neck. Placing a kiss there and pulling Helen down to lay beside her as she did. “How were the young ones when you left?”

“They were okay, or as okay as you can expect. They have dad still and Katerina and Mark, they will be fine.” Helen said, that tell-tale tone that pinpointed the fact she was talking about her siblings. 

“What about you?” Aline asked, she knew that even if she tried to hide it being away from them — especially Tavvy — was hard for her. 

“I’m okay,” she sighed. “I want to be here.” She said, snuggling into her girlfriend's side. “So how weird is it to be in Idris and not your family house?” 

“Very, though we have moved a lot of our things into here.” Aline admitted. She waved her hand around her room. “Most of this has come from either Beijing or our other house. It has definitely made it easier to settle in” Aline mused, “though let’s not talk… I can think of more enjoyable things we can do.” 

Helen couldn’t miss the mischievous glint in her girlfriend eyes, yes she had missed her, yes she wanted to be with her. But not right now.  “Maybe later love,” She said, with a quick peck on Aline’s cheek she sat up. “Let me unpack and rest?” She asked. 

“Okay,” Aline agreed, reluctantly. “Want some help?”

“It shouldn’t take too long.” Helen said, it was just unpacking her clothes and her wash kit. She got up, grabbed her duffel bag. “Where should I put my clothes?” Helen asked, looking around. 

“That dresser over there,” Aline pointed to a small dark mahogany dresser, inlaid with thorny vines. “That is specifically for you.” She felt proud that she had a specific dresser for all of her girlfriends things. “I hope that wasn’t too presumptuous?” She asked, suddenly worried. 

Helen smiled, she had just finished putting her clothes into the draws, she placed her wash bag on the top and neatly folded her duffel bag up and put it in the half empty bottom drawer. Standing up, she ran her hand along the inlay, she turned around and her smile looked like it was breaking her face. “I love it,” she said. “The thorn inlay is beautiful.” It suited her with her being a blackthorn, was that why Aline had picked it. “Where did you get it from?” 

“An antique furniture store, I saw it and it was like it screamed your name at me.” She smiled, her smile matched Helen’s. She got up and joined her girlfriend. “I am glad you like it. Anyway, how about we go and get some lunch?” Aline always found she was starving after travelling by portal — unless going into battle. So she wondered how Helen was feeling. 

“That sounds like a plan.” She said. Heading for the door. Her stomach rumbled. “Wow I must be more hungry than I thought.” She yawned. 

Aline chuckled, as they headed off in search for the kitchen that she was still yet to find. 

“So what do you want to eat?” Aline asked as they finally found the kitchen, it had taken much longer than expected. 

“Erm.” Helen was so used to cooking for the others and just making do with whatever they wanted that it had been so long since she had been asked what  _ she _ wanted to eat. “A grilled cheese?” She knew that it was most likely that Aline wouldn’t have a clue what one was, and she wasn’t disappointed.

“A what?” Aline asked.

“Have you got bread, cheese and a frying pan?” Helen asked. She had become skilled at making them and was actually quite partial to them herself, they were Livvy’s favourite. 

As Aline got the requested items Helen put the burner on, she placed the pan over it to heat as she sliced the cheese and made the sandwich. She placed it into the pan. “A spatula?” Aline grabbed it and tossed it to Helen as she sauntered over towards Helen, marvelling at the girl's culinary skills. Once it was done Helen flipped it out onto the side, cut it in half. She left it there to cool, she turned off the burners and said, “you can have half if you want?” Offering Aline half of the now cooled sandwich, “it won’t take me long to make another.” Helen said as she saw Aline’s sheepish look. “Go on. They are honestly nice!” 

Unconvinced, Aline took the offered sandwich and took a small bite. It really is good, she thought, “mm” was all she could manage, she chewed and swallowed. “Wow, that is great.” Aline mused, all it was made up of was toast and melted cheese, how was it so great? “Could you make me one?” she asked. “Or…” she had a brainwave. “Show me how to make them?”

“Sure,” Helen said. “They are pretty simple.” She started slicing the cheese. “Can you make a cheese sandwich?” She asked, that was the base of the entire thing, and they were easy enough to make. 

“Yeah,” Aline said, “They’re easy.” 

“Then you are halfway there.” She was putting the burner back on and placing the sandwich in the pan. “All you then do is toast each side of it until the cheese has melted.” She flipped it over, pressed down. “You can add other things into them too. Like meat or tomatoes or peppers.” She slid it out onto the counter, turned off the burner as she picked up the knife to cut it in half. “The only thing that is a must is to let it cool, the last thing you want to do is put hot cheese in your mouth, it burns.” 

“Thank you.” Aline said. She had been making mental notes throughout what Helen had been saying. This was an easy snack that she would happily make more often. 

There was silence between them as they ate. Aline was fascinated with something so simple being so wonderful. Helen was just glad she was eating, even if it still felt like breakfast rather than lunch. Once she had eaten she washed up the frying pan, knife and spatula she had used gave them to Aline to put back where she had got them. “Can we go and explore?” she asked, it had always been her favourite thing to do. It satisfied her curiosity, which is always piqued when she is somewhere new. 

“Yes!” Aline exclaimed, this place was still so new that she hadn’t had any real time to explore it. Having company in doing so would make it much more fun. “Come on then.” She grabbed her hand and off they went. 


End file.
